Photographic-printing device.



W. ALLEN.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING DEVICE.

- A P P L I C A T I 0 N F l L E D J A N 2 4 l 9 I 6- 1 ,232. 1 64. PatentedJuly 3, 1917.

WILLIAM ALLEN, OF WEST HOIBOKEN', NEW JERSEY.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed January 24, 1916. Serial No. 73,801.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of lVest Hoboken, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Photographic-Printing Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

y present invention is an improvement in photographic printing devices and the object of the invention is to improve, simplify and perfect the negative and print holders for use in printing photographs. It is at present customary, in printing photographs, to fit the negative in a holder and lay the sensitive or print-receiving paper on the other side of the holder, both being placed in the printing frame or the like and left exposed to the light to transfer the negative image onto the print. This work is largely done by amateurs and it is important and necessary to have a guide to facilitate the positioning of both the negative and the print in the holder and my invention is primarily directed to so making the holder as to greatly simplify the positioning of the print and negative, to insure the correct alinement of both print and negative, as well as to determine the margin to be left on the print with a minimum amount of trimming or waste of the printing paper. By means of my guide on the holder, a correct alinement of the print relatively to the negative is instantly secured, and subsequent trimming of the print is simplified to the cutting of only two edges when a largesized print paper is employed. However, I contemplate the provision of a holder with the guiding devices for the print paper of just the correct size to insure an even margin entirely around the print, thus completely eliminating any trimming of edges whatever, while said guide is yet capable of holding larger sized print paper, in Which case trimming of two edges only is necessary. It will be readily understood that series or sets of holders for different sized negatives and for different sized margins on the print-receiving paper will ordinarily be provided. My invention is especially valuable for use by amateurs, as the holder not only saves time in adjusting the print paper relatively with the negative, but also insures the correct alinement of paper and negative. A further important feature of my holder is that no substantial ridge or increased thickness in the paper-guiding de vice is requisite, the guide being preferably of substantially the same thickness as the print-receiving paper which it guides, and one which greatly facilitates the time saving element is that the guide and holder are preferably of contrasted color. This contrast of color between the guide and holder not only enables the print to be positioned quickly, but also insures that it will be positioned correctly, and the entire holder prcsents a substantially oven thickness througlr out so as to fit properly in any printing frame without additional mats, Qclgeguides, or the like.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a view of the print-receiving side of a holder with the negative in position;

Fig, 2, is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the holder with the print-receiving paper in position; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line H of Fig. 8.

My improved holder comprises a mat 1, preferably of dark colored paper or cardboard, such as is ordinarily used in making photographic mats, one side of this holder having paper flaps or flanges 2 and 3 to constitute a grooved slideway to receive the negati vo 4:. The holder 1 is of appropriate width and length to receive the standard sized negative and print, such standard sizes varying from about lX1}- up to 20"X24, although the sizes ordinarily used by the amateur will notbe more than 5X7, and holders of appropriate sizes for diiferent sized negatives and prints will be provided with the central aperture 5 of suitable size for each of the abovenamed standard dimensions. The negative 4: may be slid into the slideways provided by the holder 1 and flanges 2 and 3 from either end of the holder, until the negative or that part of the negative to be printed is in appropriate position with regard to the open-' ing 5. On the side of the holder 1 opposite to that provided to receive the negative, I apply a guide along two sides of the opening 5, said guide consisting in a strip of paper or cardboard with its two portions 6 and 7 at right angles to each other and spaced from the holder opening 5 a suitable distance to provide the desired margin on the print. The strip guides 6 and 7 are preferably cut from a single sheet of paper or cardboard and are of contrasting color with that of the holder 1. The marginal distances 8 and 9 from which the strips 6' and 7 are spaced around the opening 5 will preferably be suitable to receive the print.

paper 10 so that the outer edges of the print paper 10 not in contact with the guide strips 6 and 7 will extend at 11 and 12 to leave marginal portions exactly equivalent to the opposite marginal spaces 8 and 9 respectively. This entirely eliminates any trimming of the print edges while permitting the use of a paper print which may have the outer edges 11 and 12 extending considerably beyond such an equivalent marginal distance to that formed by the" guide strips in which case the two sides only of the print need be trimmed. It will be appreciated that oft-times the print receiving paper of different sizes, not made particularly to fit the holder and guides intended for the certain sized pictures, will be called into use and therefore the very important capability which my improved holder allows of such use of different sized print paper isa feature of great utility. The guide strips 6 and 7. although herein shown as extending beyond the respective sides of the holder opening 5 may only extend sufiiciently along each side of the opening to insure the correct alinement of the print therewith. I find that a mere cornerpiece isnot ordinarily sufficient, especially when the holder is intended for amateur use and therefore prefer to have at least one of the guide strips 6 or 7 extend substantially throughout the entire length of its adjacent frame opening. The substantial length of these guide strips as well as the contrast in color between the guide strips and mat accelerates the positioning of the print thereto. WVhile I have herein illustrated the mat 1 as of a. dark color and the guide strips 6 and '2 of light, it will. of course be obvious that any suitable contrasting color is within the scope of my invention. Also that the guide strips may be spaced in different positions from the holder opening to provide any extent of margin which may be desired. The thickness of the guide strips 6" and 7 may be and preferably is substantially equal to the thickness of the print paper to be applied so that the entire holder with its negative on one side and" print paper and guides on the opposite side will lie flat in the ordinary printing frame.

The advantage and utility of my improvedholder will be readily'appreciated by those engaged inprinting photographs, especially by amateurs. It has been particularly di-flicult, for the amateur, to either position the negative and print in proper rela- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents rash, by addressing the tive position or to trim off the edges of the print in straight and true line, often repeated trimming being requisite until the entire margin has been cut down. By means of my holder such trimming is either entirely eliminated or confined only to two sides, with the marginal edges of the opposite two sides already accurately determined and correctly spaced, which constitute the guides for the trimming of the remaining two sides when such trimming is necessary. While I prefer to utilize the guide strips 6 and 7 in connection with a holder having slides 2 and 3 to receive and retain the negatives in correct alinement and position therewith, it will be understood that my invention is not thus limited, but is intended to cover, broadly, the feature of the guide strips in combination with mat suitably spaced about the opening in said mat to form a predetermined marginal. edge on the print. Furthermore. it is within the scope of my 80 invention to depend simply upon the color contrast feature for the print ali'ning, above explained; a-lthougl'i I prefer to have such contrasted color in combination with the strip-guide feature to constitute a practicable physical guide. Such strip guide may either be in the form of separate strips as shown in the drawings, or an embossed ridge, or the like, such modifications readily occurring to those skilled in the art. The invention may be equally applied to mats with round or oval openings, but this is more limitedthan the square openings and guide strips herein shown and described.

, invention is further described and de- 100 fined in the form of claim as follows In a photographic printing device, a holder having an opening therein, a pair of slideways to receive a negative on one side of the holder and a guide strip permanently 05 secured to the opposite side of said holder, said strip extending parallel with and adjacent to two sides of the opening for substantially the entire length of the said adjacent sides, being spaced therefrom to re- 110 ceive and hold the print-receiving paper in predetermined position with the marginal portion of said print extending substantially to an equal extent over opposite edge portions of said opening, said guide strips be- 115 ing of contrasting color to the holder and of equal thickness to that of the print receiving paper. V

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of 120 two subscribing. witnesses.

IVILLIAM ALLEN.

l Vitnesses:

IRVING Gr. CLARK, FRANK M. MULREM.

Commissioner of Patents,

washingtezg, D. G. 

